Advent Calendar
by Lupus Silvae
Summary: A countdown to Christmas with Sonic and company! Updated daily, there will be 25 short stories starting on the 1st and running all the way to Christmas day. Romance, humor, and good cheer are guaranteed. Welcome to the Advent Calendar, Merry Christmas!
1. Coming

The sky was pale gray tinged with pink. The setting sun still pierced through the cover of clouds. It reflected off of the snow drifts the plows had formed, and began the process of melting the children's snowmen. The young ones did not worry, since the fresh snow coming that night would ensure their creations' survival. The shops were lined with alternating green and red lights, which shone through the coating of ice that clung determinedly to them. The light shining through the icicles cast the streets in a kaleidoscope of colors. The sun's weak glow was fading all the more, and a few stars now pierced the velvety black sky above. In mere minutes, the bright orange orb had dipped below the horizon for the night. There was no moon to see by, and the entire street was lit by lampposts and Christmas decorations.

A young hedgehog ambled through the dreamy scene, positive he had been flung into the perfect Christmas card. Normally, he let his cobalt fur keep him warm, but the winter cold forced him to wear a heavy jacket, complete with a red scarf. With the lack of sunlight, Jack Frost leapt out to play, nipping at his ears and tail. He shivered and buried his hands deep within his pockets, but not due to the chill. A grin stretched from ear-to-ear as the reality of the Season set in. Soon, everyone would be shopping for gifts and setting up their trees, if it had not been done already. Mistletoe would be purchased and hung in convenient doorways, while garland would be carefully strung along stairwells and porches. A few cheap, plastic glowing snowmen were set out by the eager decorators, but the true fanatics would be beginning their light shows in mere days. It was heavenly.

The hedgehog took a deep breath, slowly inhaling the scents of the darkened street. The bakery was finishing their last round of Christmas-colored donuts, which would be cooled overnight and ready for the eager shoppers the next morning. The warm scents of spiced apple cider, hot chocolate and rich coffee drifted along with the wind, all carried from stores that were blocks away. Of course, the crisp aroma of greenery was caught up amongst the rest, no doubt the most predominant scent.

It was the perfect evening, and nothing could make it any better. Nothing except being at home, listening to the crackling fire and quiet Christmas tunes, passed down for generations and sung by young choirs. With a smile, the hedgehog took off to do just that. Nothing had ever stopped him from doing so; the tradition he had started years ago. All he did was walk through a small town, although the town varied from year to year, and remind himself what day it was: December First. It was not a very meaningful day to most, but to him, it meant that Christmas was coming, and with it a peace that surpassed all understanding.

* * *

**A/N: **It's December first! At least, it is in my time zone. So here is the first of a series of 25 one-shots that will be updated daily, up until Christmas. They will all be short and sweet, and very few will be interconnected. Enjoy the Advent Calendar of Sonic Stories!

~Wolf~


	2. While You Were Sleeping

It was a chilly December evening, but that did not stop Amy from dragging everyone she could to the Christmas Light show in Station Square. The entire city had been carefully decorated from top to bottom in extravagant lights, so that every building glowed red, green and white. The event had been in planning since September, and Amy had been a key factor in its execution. Even if no one else cared who ensured the city was lit correctly, Amy was determined to have her friends there for opening night to see the fruits of her labor.

The ones she finally managed to convince to come were Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Cream. The echidna had not wanted to come, but Cream and Cheese were the ones sent with the message, and he had not wanted to disappoint the young rabbit. Sonic and Tails came of their own free will. Bundled in scarves and jackets, the group set out with Amy as their tour guide. "Alright, now the City Council and I have worked our tails off to make this as amazing as possible, so I would appreciate it if you take that into consideration when observing the lights."

"Wow, Ames, major formality overdrive!" laughed Sonic. "How many dictionaries did you need to memorize before you could say that?"

"Shut up. I mean don't touch anything."

"Why would we? Light bulbs get hot," stated Knuckles.

Amy rolled her eyes and entered the city, passing under the brightly lit arch and making sure the others followed. Knuckles was mildly amused, but refused to show any emotion. Really, he would much rather be on Angel Island. The floating shrine to the Master Emerald was already coated in a fresh layer of snow and ice, and he preferred to stay there. How Cream had talked him into this, he would never know.

Tails had taken Cream's hand, and the two skipped off with Cheese in tow. Cream would point out cute little toy soldiers and chao ballerinas, while Tails would laugh at the models of Santa's Workshop, criticizing the functionality of the elves' tools. Sonic and Amy had lagged behind, watching the young friends enjoy their evening together. They themselves discussed the work behind the Light Show. "So, how long did it take to set everything up?" Sonic asked.

"At least twelve hours. They shut down the entire city yesterday while we worked on it. Wiring was a nightmare, but only because Tails was 'too busy' to help us. We got it done, though. Thank goodness."

"It's nice, Ames. Sorry I couldn't be here yesterday."

"Where were you, anyway?"

"Eh, G.U.N. had some leftover mess of an investigation they needed me to sort out. Something about me and illegal cooperation with Eggman. It took hours, and I think they still need me to clear some things up," sighed Sonic. "It's all good, I guess. I just hope they get this fixed soon."

"Me too."

They remained silent for a while, completely ignorant of the fact that Tails and Cream were now out of sight. Knuckles had caught up with them, and was now talking to Amy about the possibility of some sort of Master Emerald light the following year. Sonic chuckled to himself and walked ahead, deciding to catch up to the two young ones. Tails was nowhere to be seen, but Cream was gazing at the last set of lights in awe and mild confusion. Cheese was fast asleep in her arms, murmuring incoherently in his own language. Sonic walked up behind her to see what she was gazing at.

It was a simple nativity, donated by the local church for the show. There was nothing spectacular about it. The small stable housed a manger, Mary and Joseph. To the left stood the three Wise Men, clothed in elegant robes that glowed purple and gold. On their right was a shepherd, holding a newborn lamb while he observed the scene along with Cream. A star was stuck somewhat crookedly atop the stable, with angels balanced precariously on either side of it. Sonic had to admit, it was nothing special. He saw things like it every day around Christmas time, but he had no clue why Cream would be so enthralled with it.

"Where's Tails?" he finally asked.

Cream jumped, and briefly glanced over her shoulder at Sonic before returning her gaze to the nativity. "Oh, he's talking to some guy about the faulty wiring near the Santa's Workshop display."

"Ah. What are you doing?"

"Trying to figure this out."

"What do you mean? Haven't you seen a nativity scene before?" inquired Sonic, somewhat surprised.

"Oh, of course, but this one's different," replied Cream.

"How so?"

"See this building on the other side?" she inquired, pointing to the unlit Bethlehem behind the nativity.

"Yeah. Cream, that's just some leftover lights. I don't think they're supposed to be on."

"They _are_ on! Look!"

Sonic glanced at Cream oddly, but obeyed. She was right: the houses were dimly lit, as if the imaginary people inside were sleeping. "Huh. What about it?"

"What are they doing?"

"Who?"

"The people inside the buildings. What are they supposed to be doing? Weren't all the inns full?"

"I think so. I don't know, Cream. I guess they're sleeping or something."

"Why on earth would they be doing that?!" exclaimed Cream, shocked.

"Because it's late at night? I'll be doing the same thing in an hour or so."

"But that's not right!"

"What? Is sleeping against the law, now?"

"No! Look at that star. It's so bright, I know _I _couldn't sleep. Even if they could sleep with the star there, don't they know that Jesus is born? Why do only the Wise Men, shepherds and angels care?"

Sonic paused, contemplating the young rabbit's words. She was right: according to everything he'd heard, Jesus was God's Son, and was born alone in the stable, while everyone around him slept peacefully through the night. While they slumbered, the star that announced their Savior's arrival shone brightly, enough so that Wise Men on the other side of the country could see it. He had to imagine some of them woke when its light filtered into their rooms. Did they not notice the difference in the atmosphere when they awoke? How could they not know the one they'd waited for for so long had finally come? Eventually, he managed to reply. "I don't know, Cream."

"You said you were going to sleep after this, right?" inquired the rabbit.

Sonic appeared confused at the random change of subject. "Uh, yeah. It'll be almost midnight by the time I get home."

"What if we slept through it, too?"

"Through what? It's not Christmas Eve, Cream. You won't miss Santa or anything."

"No, no, not Santa! What if Jesus came back? Would we notice?" she asked.

Sonic was thrown off once again by the child's simple question. What if the sky shone just as brightly tonight as it did when Jesus came the first time? Would they all sleep through it, or could he force himself to believe that this generation would be different? Really, it was impossible. Once again, only the shepherds and Wise Men of this modern world would care that Jesus had come, and they would be whisked away in silence to the Heaven they spoke of. What about the ones still sleeping? Would they be clueless, abandoned, and once again surprised that they had slept through the greatest event in history, or worse, not even know they had missed it? Sonic's mind and thoughts were a muddled mess, but he was saved by the arrival of the remainder of the group. Amy grinned as she caught up.

"There you two are! Ready to head back home, Cream? I told your mom I'd have you back by eleven thirty," stated Amy.

"I guess so," sighed the rabbit. She grabbed Sonic's hand, however, as they all walked towards her house. The hedgehog was surprised, but he did not protest. After all, it did not really bother him. They arrived a half-hour later, and Sonic released his grip on her hand. As she walked inside, she glanced over her shoulder and called back to Sonic: "Mr. Sonic? What'll happen while we're sleeping?"

The hedgehog shook his head solemnly. "I don't know, Cream. Let's just hope we wake up when we need to." He gained a quizzical look from Amy, but he simply motioned for her to wait until they were gone. After leaving the house and after Tails and Knuckles had begun their respective trips home, Amy finally asked what Cream had meant. Sonic's reply was solemn and thoughtful: "Bethlehem missed out on the greatest event of all time while they were sleeping. She only wanted to make sure she didn't do the same thing."


	3. Shopping Spree

"Sonic!" called Tails. "I have to run to Station Square and get some stuff. You wanna tag along?"

The cobalt hedgehog laid quite comfortably across the Tornado's wing, reluctantly opening one eye when the kitsune's voice interrupted his sleep. "Now why on Mobius would I want to do that? The people realizing how close Christmas has gotten are swarming all over the place. I couldn't fall if I was shot!"

"C'mon, Sonic! It won't take long," protested Tails, his blue eyes pleading.

"No."

"Fine. When Amy gets here, then, you can help her move the Tornado and dust the--" Tails was never allowed to finish his statement. Sonic was at the door before he could.

"Hurry up! If I'm gonna be stuck in Station Square I'd rather do it before everybody and their brother catches up to us."

Tails laughed, and with a small leap and a flick of his twin namesakes, managed to remain airborne as he followed his brother out the door.

***

Just as Sonic had feared, the entire city was overrun with panicked shoppers trying to get the best deals before the store sold out. Already, some of the hottest holiday items had disappeared off the shelves, and desperate parents were already begging with managers to get some special-ordered. Charity workers dressed as Santas rang their bells diligently, occasionally rewarded with the disappointing clink of only a few spare coins. Like always, the respect for others had vanished and self-obsession ruled the world.

Tails seemed to be taking his own sweet time hopping in and out of stores, only buying something every few stops. At first, Sonic figured he was price-checking, but after constant searching in the most random of stores, the hedgehog began to suspect otherwise. This happened especially when they still had not stopped three hours later. "Okay, Tails, I know I came with you, but you did say _some _things. I figured you needed something for the Tornado. What the heck are you looking for?!"

The fox glanced over his shoulder at Sonic and smiled. "I asked the clerk in the last store, and she suggested to look at this one place down the road. I'll stop there, and if they don't have what I'm looking for, we'll go home. Sound good?"

Sonic looked ahead, only to have his hopes smashed. The sidewalk from their current location to the indicated store was absolutely packed with people, and the road in between was backed up for miles with angry motorists. With a groan, he resigned to his fate, and followed Tails from lack of options rather than obedience. When they arrived almost forty-five minutes later, he was surprised to find the store was no more than a small candle shop with a few trinkets here and there for the holiday season. It was certainly not a place Sonic ever imagined Tails being interested in.

However, sick of having nothing to look at but bustling people and slow-moving cars, he took his time observing the decorations of the shop and the merchandise they had to offer. He paid absolutely no attention to Tails until the kitsune called him over. "Okay, Sonic! I got what I wanted. You ready to go?"

The hedgehog was by his side in seconds. "I was ready hours ago. What'd you get, anyway?"

Tails smirked. "You'll find out soon enough. Now we have to get home, Amy is probably there."

"Why was she coming over, anyway?"

"She brought some decorations. Which reminds me! Sonic, I'll need some help tonight…"


	4. Last Christmas

Blaze sat silently on the park bench, curled up and hugging her knees as she tried to keep warm in the bitter cold. She said nothing, only observed the pedestrians as they trudged through the snow to cut through to Crisis City. Her thick lavender fur caught and trapped the snowflakes, and the warmth from her body melted them quickly. This caused her fur to become damp and tangled, which frustrated her all the more.

All of a sudden, an overly-joyful couple walked by, throwing snowballs at each other. Their laughter rang through the crisp air like clear bells, echoing cheerfully off of the trees and receiving only the beautiful response of singing cardinals. Blaze watched, tears forming in her eyes as they skipped along. Once they were out of sight, she let the tears fall. She was not surprised they froze before they actually hit the ground. The wind whipped across her face, and she laid her ears back, only increasing her dejected appearance.

The only thing on her mind was a certain hedgehog of the cobalt hue, living contentedly in another time with a cerise female. The thought of the pink hedgehog made Blaze fume angrily, her jealousy burning in her amber eyes. Just last year, she had been forced into Sonic's time, thanks to the cooperation of their corresponding Eggmen. The Sol Emeralds were lost, as were the Chaos Emeralds, and they had worked together to retrieve them. To tell the truth, she was highly impressed by the hedgehog. He was cute, sure, but he was also decent and honest: something most males were not; or so she thought.

Not long after she had told him, last Christmas, she believed, that she would not mind pursuing a relationship with him, he had decided he truly loved Amy Rose. When she had discovered that, she was heartbroken. She thought when she returned to her future, she would be fine; that she would get over everything and return to normal. Yet, this Christmas, she still wished with all her heart that he had accepted her; that he had loved her back. The rejection felt like a dagger through her heart. She had _meant _it when she told him she loved him, and he threw it all away!

Looking back, she thought maybe she knew better now, that if she saw Sonic again, she would not be so quick to fall in love with him. Yet somewhere deep down in her soul, she knew that if he even came close to kissing her, she would melt and fall for him all over again. Even if it was obvious he was toying with her, she wanted him so desperately, she knew that she would never resist those deep, romantic emerald eyes. Out of her jacket, she pulled out an old picture, long ago stained with feline tears. Just gazing at him now made her miss him greatly.

She thought she could trust him. Really, she knew she could. At least if her life was in danger. However, her emotions were free game for him. She was a toy, something he used to escape an uncomfortable situation, but no longer needed or even wanted. He had Amy, and she had no one. Tears falling freely now, Blaze took off down the park path, only to run smack into Silver.

The two were sent flying into the nearest snowdrift, only to be barely stopped by Silver's telekinetic powers floating them above it. He slowly lowered them to their feet back on the path. It was after the initial shock passed that the white hedgehog noticed his friend was crying. "Blaze? What's wrong?"

Blaze bit her lip, unsure of what to say. "N-nothing… Nothing's wrong." she managed.

Silver rolled his eyes. "Yeah, and Mephiles plays Santa Claus at the mall. Seriously, what's up?"

Reluctantly at first, but more passionate later, Blaze launched into an uncharacteristic tirade about how much she hated Sonic. More specifically, Amy Rose for stealing him from her. When she was done, gasping for breath, Silver was sure a pig would fly by to ensure him that Blaze had, indeed, just revealed an emotion other than indifference.

"Blaze… I didn't know what he did bothered you so much."

The feline rubbed the tears from her eyes, relieved to have told someone about the pain she had been harboring for a year. "It did. But telling you… it doesn't make me feel so helpless. Thanks, Silver."

Silver shrugged, somewhat hurt that he was only someone to rant and rave to. Then he was shocked out of his fur when he found his lips pressed tightly against Blaze's. At first, he was too surprised to do anything, but eventually he regained his composure and returned the kiss. When it ended, they each gazed into the other's eyes. Blaze smiled softly. Sonic may have hurt her, but she would give her heart to someone else now. To Silver: someone more special than Sonic could ever hope to be.


	5. Not Another Silent Night

The worst part was the fact that time still passed. Sealed in an Emerald of Power, Tikal was forced to watch helplessly as the days slipped by. Friends she had made during her brief escape matured and enjoyed their lives, and her only option was to observe in silence: allowed to see their happiness, but not partake in it. She had grown numb to the world as they lived on, ignorant of her presence. The only one to acknowledge her at all was Knuckles, Guardian of her home, and even then she was not sure if he was talking to her so much as Chaos. The water god resided in the abyss of the Master Emerald as well, and was her only companion. Still, since he did not speak, she would rarely talk to him.

After so many years locked away, she thought that maybe life as an immortal spirit would become easier; that she would become accustomed to it. It was true, to a point. During most of the year, she was content to spend her time exploring the confines of the Master Emerald, discovering new ways to see out into the world. It was the holidays that always broke her resolve, and this year was no different.

Gazing out of a time-space rift in the Master Emerald, Tikal watched as snow drifted onto Angel Island. The entire shrine was blanketed in a soft sheet of white, making it clear what season it was. A tear fell as memories of Christmases long ago haunted her mind's eye. She saw her grandmother cooking various foods, and her father's serious countenance lighten. The warriors returned home to their wives and children, and the guardians took special shifts to ensure everyone was allowed to spend time with their family. It had been perfect.

However, the last hundred years had been painfully lonely. With only Chaos himself for comfort, Christmas was like any other day. She sighed and allowed herself to hover hopelessly in the abyss, crying softly. Her tears fell from her muzzle and formed into droplets, which were quickly absorbed by Chaos. The water god curled himself around her, his bright green eyes curious. For something so powerful, he sure was clueless.

Tikal looked away, forcing her eyes away from both Chaos and the perfect scene outside the Emerald. It was useless to reminisce or gaze upon anything relating to the holiday. This Christmas would be another silent night spent with a silent water god, watching the others celebrate.

Suddenly, a voice rang throughout the abyss: "O, great and powerful Master Emerald, home of the powerful Chaos and the sacrificial Tikal, we ask of you to release Tikal for two weeks, in order to celebrate the holidays with us."

The voice was Knuckles', but he had said 'we.' Tikal glanced again out of the rift, only to see Knuckles, along with Sonic, Amy, and Tails, watching the Emerald eagerly. She glanced at Chaos, who bore the same blank, emotionless expression he always did. The choice was not up to him. It was up to the Master Emerald itself. Now that Chaos was no longer a raging monster, she was not technically required to be sealed with him.

She hoped with all her heart the Emerald would listen to Knuckles and allow her one holiday outside of its confines. Her answer was the widening of the rift, which made it easy for her to step out. With one last smile at Chaos, she stepped out to the bright grins of her friends. They had all changed: Knuckles was taller, Sonic's muzzle was sharper, Tails' fur was thicker, and Amy's hair had grown, while Tikal looked exactly the same. She could feel a blush through her thin cheek fur. However, the others were unfazed by this. Amy threw a jacket they had brought around her shoulders, smiling happily.

"Merry Christmas, Tikal."

* * *

I realize this entry and the last were a little darker. Don't worry, they don't stay that way. Pure happiness is just over the horizon! Stick with it, now. Merry Christmas!

~Wolf~


	6. Lights and Quills

Tails had left him in charge of the decorations this year. It was a high honor, considering the fox was so nit-picky about where each light should go. Sonic glared at the box of tangled lights and decorations, wondering how on earth a fox as neat as Tails could pack away a box so disorganized. With a sigh, he tentatively picked up one string of lights. It was followed by a huge snowman display that refused to separate itself from them. Stuck to the snowman was a fake wreath, which was wrapped in a tangled string of pearls, and to them clung another string of lights, separate from the ones he was currently trying to untangle.

Frustrated before he had even begun, Sonic dumped all the decorations onto the floor of the workshop and began sifting through them. He grabbed the first string of lights, placed his foot on the persistent snowman display, and jerked as hard as he could. All he managed to do was pull the end of the plug off and tumble across the room. He glared at the green cord in his hand, the frayed copper wires making it impossible to repair. After throwing it away, he decided to get the cord out some other way, even though it was useless now. It was a "man quest:" once something proved itself impossible, he was dead set on proving it wrong.

He drug the display out of the house and hooked it against Tails' door, then twisted the cord around his wrist. When he was completely sure that his grip was tight, he bolted away, hoping his momentum would pull the lights out of their snowy entrapment. He was pulled to an abrupt halt and landed flat on his back, only managing to get the breath knocked out of him. The lights were still determinedly twisted around the display, and now, his wrist.

Sonic glanced at his entangled limb tried to pull the lights off with his free hand. This resulted only in him growing more frustrated, while the lights were still tangled in the aforementioned displays. About to give up but not willing to be defeated by Christmas decorations, Sonic backed up and curled into a spin dash. If it worked on robots, why not Christmas lights? "I swear, if I can't fix this stupid mess, then Eggman will seriously have some new weapons." He shot forward, hoping his quills would shred the string of lights and destroy the snowman display, therefore freeing everything. His hopes were destroyed the second he hit the displays.

In a crash that rivaled the explosion of the Egg Carrier, Sonic found himself tangled to the point that he could not move at all. He was sprawled out across the three crushed displays, and now two strings of Christmas lights were tangled amongst his quills and spines, keeping him pinned to the wreckage. There was absolutely no way to transfer the blame to someone else when he was stuck in it. How could he defeat Perfect Chaos, the Biolizard, and Dark Gaia, and still manage to get stuck in Christmas displays?

Tails would kill him. Christmas was the fox's area of expertise, and if it had not been for a delayed shopping trip in Station Square, Sonic would not have been involved at all. However, as events played out, he was now stuck in the middle of a huge mess that was proving very difficult to extract himself from. He knew he was technically stronger than Tails, but when the kitsune was angry, he could do some pretty nasty things. Luckily for Sonic, his time to ponder over what Tails would do when he found him was cut short as the fox entered the workshop. His eyes widened at Sonic's plight, and he could not help but laugh at the hedgehog's pitiful appearance.

"Sonic… what did you _do?!_" he managed through the laughter.

"Uh… you shouldn't pack Christmas boxes like that," protested Sonic, trying to wiggle free but only getting himself pinned tighter.

"Like how?" giggled Tails, curious but far too amused to speak clearly.

"Everything was a tangled mess! How can you be so picky about where they go and pack them like that?!"

Tails only laughed harder, much to Sonic's dismay and embarrassment. "Sonic, you chose the box of broken displays! I take them from other people's houses, fix them, then return them. The real boxes are in my workshop under the old Tornado."

"Oh…" muttered Sonic. "Well… then you have your work cut out for you. I think they're all re-broke."


	7. I'll Be Home

Amy sighed as she watched the snow fall blissfully outside her window, forming large snow banks as it continued to pile deeper. It had been a week since she had seen or even heard from Sonic. While most years the snow lifted her spirits, this time it was dreaded. Sonic had been traveling on the other side of Mobius; due to return in a few more days. This much snow would make it very difficult for him to run, especially at the speed required to reach them. Fate seemed to have made it sure it would be her first Christmas without him since they had met. She wrapped both hands around her mug of cocoa before returning to her couch and fireplace. Staring at the substance that kept Sonic away from her certainly was not going to help.

She glanced at the tree, which she had decorated with Cream, Rouge, Tikal, and Shade the day before. It had been insanely fun trying to place the topper without flying. Shade ended up reaching it first, using teleportation to move it to the top. Jade eyes twinkled as they reflected the blinking colored lights, tears shining in the dim light of her living room. Her heart ached a little at the thought of Sonic not being there, but she really did not mind as much as she thought she would. The Christmas spirit was still infectious, and even Shadow was a little less snappy. Why on Mobius would she bring the others down? She could get over it.

A single knock at the door made her jump, and she raced over to answer. While her dreams told her Sonic would be there, cold but happy to see her, reality was a disappointment. No one was in sight, but a small note sat on her porch. She glanced up to see a fading light above it. Confused and curious, Amy brought the letter inside, returning to her sofa and her cocoa. Using only the light of the fire, she gently opened the envelope. There was no return address; just her name on the front in rushed cursive.

After unfolding the paper, she bit back a gasp of surprise at who it was from, as well as what it said:

_Dear Amy,_

_You didn't think you'd get rid of me with snow, did you? I'm currently stuck way north of Green Hill Zone. I'm staying with a family friend for the night, but will be traveling again soon. I realize there are only a few days left before I'm supposed to be back, but I hope to make it. I'll run double time. (Who wouldn't? Vanilla's pudding is to die for. She is making it again, right?) _

_However, I have a few requests of you. If this snow is going to stall me, I want to see a snowhedgie in your front yard when I get there. You might as well enjoy the white stuff, right? Have all the presents ready, as well as the food. I guarantee you I'll be starving. (Do you mind making some chili dogs? I haven't had any good ones since I left.) I hope to see your house completely decked out with lights, too. I'm not worried about mine, I'm sure Tails dealt with it. I'll definitely be back in time for Christmas, though, even if I miss your party._

_Anyway, I suppose that's it. I hope to see you soon, Ames. _

_~Sonic_

Amy nearly cried out with delight. He was coming! Whether the snow was there or not, he was coming! She could not believe he was so determined to get here. Her only question was why she received the note. Why not Tails, or Knuckles? Both of them could have done with a note saying he would make it. Amy shrugged, about to fold the paper away, when she noticed something on the back.

_P.S. - I thought of something else. You might want to put some mistletoe up, too. You never know what door I'll come through.

* * *

_

I've fallen behind in my writing. Instead of the 5 day lead I wanted, I now only have 3 stories prepared. So, if you have something you'd like to see, tell me. My creative stifling (aka- writer's block) is making this very hard, but I don't want to give up on it. Thanks for reading!

~Wolf~


	8. Snowball Olympics 2009, pt 1

"Tails, duck!" cried Sonic, pointing desperately at a white ball barreling towards the fox. The target, however, did not see the missile in time, and fell prey to the hurtling sphere. The snowball exploded against Tails' white muzzle, so large that it knocked him into the snowdrift behind him.

"Out!" called Cream. "Team Sonic down one player!" Even though the team of five was now a team of four, Sonic could not help but laugh at Tails as he struggled to dig himself out of the snow. Now it was only him, Knuckles, Shadow, and Silver against Amy, Blaze, Shade, Tikal and Rouge. Silver had managed to transport him and Blaze back to Sonic's time for the holidays, and Tikal had been graciously allowed to spend two weeks outside the Master Emerald. Of course, with everyone together from all corners of the universe, Sonic was determined to find out who was the best snowball fighting team.

While gathering players, Tikal had been hesitant at first, but Knuckles and Shade assured her it was harmless. At least, they thought it was, until they saw just how competitive the hedgehogs were. Amy used her hammer to slam ice balls at the other team, Silver picked up large bundles of snow with telekinesis, Shadow Chaos Controlled snow on top of others, and Sonic used his spin dash to send entire avalanches towards Amy's team. Even with such great offense from the hedgehogs, the echidnas, feline and bat were not to be outdone.

Knuckles' oversized hands formed huge balls of snow, while Shade used her leech blades to slice oncoming attacks in half. Blaze melted offenses long before they reached her, and Rouge used her wings as baseball bats, sending missiles hurtling towards the other team. Tikal was the only one who played fairly. Cream, knowing the potential dangers of the match, volunteered to referee instead. After seeing everything Cream had already experienced, Tikal was pretty sure she wanted that job next time. If she survived until then.

* * *

Yes, I realize this chapter was painfully short. The actual snowball fight is tomorrow! Stay tuned!

~Wolf~


	9. Snowball Olympics 2009, pt 2

Out of nowhere, Blaze tackled Tikal to the ground to ensure she was not hit by a huge ball, shot over by Silver. She melted it with a blast of flame, laughing deliberately at Silver's pouting face. Too cocky for her own good, she was soon buried in snow from Sonic's spinning attack. "Team Rose down one player! Teams even!" Blaze marched off the field, grumbling about an unfair quill advantage as she sat beside Tails.

The fox glared at her. "And Amy's hammer's fair?"

The two watched the match as it continued, now with equal players. Shadow summoned a large ball of Chaos Energy, transporting the entire pile of back-up snowballs on top of Amy's team. However, Shade teleported them all back. While the projectiles missed their targets, it did mean Sonic's team would be forced to make all their snowballs one at a time now.

Knuckles hid behind Silver and Shadow, trying to replenish the store, when a large ball of snow, sent from Rouge's flight advantage, landed smack on top of him. "Team Sonic down two players!" Sonic was now determined to take out one of Amy's more powerful players: Shade. Without Shade's teleportation abilities, any projectiles Shadow and Silver flew over would be almost impossible to block. It would mean an instant win for his team.

He ran in small circles through the snow, forming a mini-mountain in the center of their playing area. Silver, catching on, sent a wave of power through the pile, hoping to crush either Shade or Tikal underneath the blast. Shade was too skilled for that, and sent the entire wind blast flying back over to them. Silver and Shadow hovered out of the way, but Sonic was flattened beneath the avalanche. "Team Sonic down three players!"

Blaze cheered wildly, being the only one out of the game from Amy's team. With crushed hopes of winning, Silver and Shadow decided to "open the floodgates" on the opposition. One surprised minute later, and Amy's team discovered their arsenal of snowballs was over their heads. The only thing between them and immediate loss was a wall of telekinetic powers from Silver. Tikal glanced at Shade expectantly, waiting for the Nocturnus echidna to teleport the snow elsewhere. However, when she tried, she found an impenetrable wall of Chaos energy blocking her powers. Silver and Shadow were tag teaming to make an impossible to block offense.

It worked. With a wave of his hand, Silver laughed as the entire team was buried in snow. "All players on Team Rose out! Team Sonic wins!" shouted Cream, pleased the match was over. Sonic's team helped dig the remainder of Team Rose out of the snow, only to get pelted with snowballs the minute everyone was free.

"Cheaters!" cried Amy playfully.

Cream sighed and returned to her position on the sidelines. "Round two, here we go…"


	10. Christmas Cards, pt 1

Sonic raced into Tails' workshop, shaking off the snow that clung to his cobalt fur as he entered. The first thing he noticed was the absence of the Tornado II, which could only mean Tails was not there. A little frustrated, Sonic helped himself to Tails' refrigerator, waiting for the kitsune to return. Needless to say, he was shocked to find a note taped to a Tupperware container with two chili dogs inside. He snatched the piece of paper and immediately threw the food into a microwave, reading as he went.

_Sonic_

_I figured you'd come by today. I'm testing the Tornado II's new engine in the snowstorm, but I'll be back soon. Help yourself to the chili dogs. You'll find a pile of Christmas cards on the table. If you don't mind, could you put them all in envelopes and mail them? Stamps are in the cabinet above my desk in the workshop. See you soon!_

_~Tails_

The hedgehog glanced at the stack of letters. He felt like weeping. With the added height of the table, the pile, as well as the envelope stack beside it, was taller than him. Being three foot six, that was nothing too spectacular, unless it was that kind of a pile looking down at _you_. He was so shocked by the task ahead of him, he almost didn't hear the microwave announcing his dinner. Almost. He dashed over to it, snatched the chili dogs, and ran back. If he was going to do this, he was going to do it quickly and painlessly. Preferably while eating.

With a chili dog in one hand, he walked over to the cabinet and pulled out a roll of stamps. "Chaos, Tails, how many cards do you need to send, bro?" He flipped through the roll of stamps, smirking at the cliché snowmen waving at him from each one. After sitting them by the letters and snarfing down the remains of the chili dog, Sonic decided it would be far easier to attack the monstrous stack of mail with assistance. Obviously, asking Tails was completely out of the question. The next logical choice was Amy. Sonic did not even bother to think what would happen if she said no. After all, she would leap at the chance to be alone with him, even if only for an hour or so.

The phone was ringing in his ear seconds later, and a chipper female answered the line. "Ahoy!"

"What?" asked Sonic, confused.

"I said 'ahoy.' It was what the inventor of the telephone intended to use as a greeting, instead of 'hello!'" explained Amy.

"Uh…" Sonic shook his head, fully aware that Amy could not see him. "Whatever. I'm at Tails' place, and I've been charged with putting stamps on a bunch of letters. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind helping."

"Of course I wouldn't mind! I'll be over in about ten minutes."

"Great. Bye, Ames."

"See ya!"

Having his spirits raised by the prospect of help, and cute help, at that, Sonic began the slow process of sticking a letter in an envelope, and putting a stamp in the corner. At least Tails had had the courtesy to write everyone's name and address on the letters already. It was one less thing Sonic had to worry about. He reached for the other chili dog, only to realize he had eaten it already. Disappointed, he continued his work, far grumpier than before. This was _so _not worth just two chili dogs.


	11. Christmas Cards, pt 2

The rain on Sonic's parade, however, was cast away by the sunshine that entered in the form of a blush pink hedgehog. Instead of her usual maroon and white-hemmed dress, she wore a crimson t-shirt with white jeans; a black jacket covering her bare arms. She shook it off and threw it over Tails' couch, walking over and gawking at the pile of letters. "Wow," she murmured. "That's…"

"A lot of letters," sighed Sonic. "I've done about a fifth of 'em, too."

"That's pretty scary. Does Tails even know that many people?"

"Apparently."

Amy shrugged and began attacking the pile as well. "Here," she suggested, snatching the roll of stamps. "You put the letters in the envelopes, I'll put stamps on them. When I leave to head home, I can drop them by the post office."

"Sure." So began the assembly line. The conversation during the task ranged from the lack of chili dog vendors in the winter to the romantic feel of kissing under the mistletoe. Of course, Sonic quickly turned the topic to pointless sarcasm or ranting whenever it grew too serious, much to Amy's frustration. However, as the stack of letters dwindled, Amy's hints became more like slaps on the back of the head.

"You know, I got your letter. And the note on the back."

Sonic froze, glancing at the stack, which was now completely empty of more letters in need of envelopes. He could not take the box and race off to the post office, either, as the last envelope still required a stamp. Amy held the last one on her finger tauntingly. "Um… yeah… about that…"

"Yes?"

"Well, I… It was kind of a bet…"

"What?!"

"No, no! Not like that! Amy, hold on a sec!" Sonic yelped, ducking a hammer and dodging the return blow. "I mean it was a dare that I couldn't--"

Amy's glare deepened, obviously holding back the urge to murder the hedgehog before her. "Couldn't what?"

"Couldn't… admit that I liked you. I did it through a letter… since I obviously lose a little charm in person."

If Amy's silence was not the definition of shock, her expression just topped the cake. Her pupils had shrunk two sizes, and her eyes had widened just as much. With a dropped jaw and one flopped ear, she was the perfect poster-girl of confusion. "Wh-what?"

"You really like one word sentences, don'tcha?" chortled Sonic nervously. "I told you I was staying with a family friend, right?"

"Yes…"

"Well, I was on Angel Island with Knuckles. The storm winds up there were a lot stronger than down here, which is why I couldn't get back. We got into this conversation about Rouge and Shade and somehow he brought you into it, and he bet me a Chaos Emerald, which I doubt he'll give me, that I couldn't admit I liked you. Of course, the second I sent your letter, he made the 'in person' rule, but… but I still did it. And now I've done it in person, too."


	12. Present for Myself

Knuckles stifled a yawn as he watched the snow fall from the shrine of the Master Emerald. The soft green glow reflected off of the pure white banks and created beautiful dim lighting. The moon, as well as the stars, had cast a pale light over everything, making it one of the lightest nights in the world. The picture of Angel Island in the winter gave its Guardian a serene feeling, sending thoughts of thieving bats and hyperactive hedgehogs far away, and allowing him to ponder other subjects.

It had been Sonic's idea to have Tikal with them for the holidays, but Knuckles had had to carry out the plan. After all, the Master Emerald would not listen to anyone other than its Guardian. Having Tikal was great, and he enjoyed watching her and Shade learn about each other's cultures. However, some feeling of foreboding continued to send him away from everyone and to the Master Emerald. Far too often, he had an irresistible calling to return to the Emerald's shrine.

Which is why he was where he was. He had been talking to Tikal, when he had to suddenly excuse himself and rush to Angel Island. Needless to say, Knuckles was teed off to find the Master Emerald safe and sound, with no danger anywhere near it. Most of the time he was only called to the shrine when the Emerald was in serious peril. That peril oftentimes came in the form of an albino bat. Yet now, not only was Rouge nowhere near the Master Emerald, but neither was anything else that could be considered a threat.

A few times, he wondered if Chaos was angered at Tikal's absence. At that point, he brought her to the Emerald to talk to him. She did, and said while Chaos missed her, he would definitely not shatter the Emerald and escape. After that theory was shot, he thought perhaps Shadow was using Chaos Energy from it instead of the Chaos Emeralds. Yet when he confronted the dark hedgehog, Shadow said he had not been using Chaos Energy of any sort for the past week. Tails had scanned the Emerald for him as well, and found no rifts that would send out such a signal of distress.

He was frustrated, to say the least. The first time was chance; the second a coincidence. A week of interruptions, though, and it was becoming highly annoying. It had crossed his mind to shatter it and restore it after the holidays, but Tikal and Shade had made it clear he was not to do so. Now he sat at the base of the Emerald, waiting for something to happen so he could find out just what was causing the signals.

Amethyst eyes scanned the shrine's surroundings suspiciously. Every shadow cast was an enemy, and every noise made was that of a thief. Even with his senses on high alert, nothing proved itself to actually be a danger to the Master Emerald. Knuckles groaned and stood, knowing his duty to the Emerald but not wanting to spend what little time he had with Tikal watching a perfectly-safe gem. Just as he began to step away, he heard the crunch of snow and whirled around. Behind him, atop the Master Emerald itself, sat an albino bat. The sense of danger to the Emerald returned, and everything became very clear.

"So it was you!" snapped Knuckles, growling.

"I believe so," cooed Rouge, brushing snow off of her body-tight clothes. Even in a winter outfit, she still managed to look obscene.

"What, for the love of the Master Emerald, do you think you're doing?!"

"Getting your attention, unfortunately. I figured I might be able to get myself a little Christmas present while you were busy."

"Shut up, bat-girl! Leave the Master Emerald alone, or, I swear, I'll send you flying into next month!"

"Now, now, Knuckie, you wouldn't want me to miss my Christmas presents, would you?"

"You wouldn't get anything for Christmas if Santa was Mephiles. Not with you always trying to steal the Master Emerald! Now get away from it."

Rouge sighed and leapt down, glaring at Knuckles. "I suppose you're right. But at least I tried."

"Go away, Rouge. And if I find you near the Master Emerald again, I'll shatter it and make sure you never find it."

"Sure, Knuckie."

"Don't call me--"

"I know! I'm going, I'm going."

Knuckles snarled softly to himself, but was pleased to see the jewel thief leave. He began the long trip back to Station Square, to return to Tikal and Shade and learn more about his species and the echidna culture. Hopeful thoughts drove the annoying bat from his mind, and soon the Guardian was enjoying his holiday once again. At least until he heard the mischievous giggles of a far-too-happy bat.


	13. Snowfamily

"There! It's perfect!" cried Cream, putting the finishing touches on her snowfox. Two pieces of a fake sapphire-colored Chaos Emerald were used for eyes, while a small shard of coal took the place of a nose. While the snowfox was somewhat lopsided, it was obviously made to resemble a certain someone, if only due to the fact it bore two tails instead of one. Cream smiled brightly as she gazed at her creation, pleased with the turn out. The kitsune behind her was blushing fiercely, much to the amusement of his brother, who was snickering uncontrollably.

"Uh… h-how long did that take you, Cream?" asked Tails, desperate to keep a conversation going before Sonic felt called to start one.

"Oh, about three or four hours. I started this morning," replied Cream. "But Mom made me hot cocoa about half way through. So maybe just two."

Tails nodded dumbly, still too embarrassed to say much. The brief pause in the conversation left it wide open for Sonic to jut in. "It's great, Cream. You should make a buddy for this one. How 'bout… one that looks like you?"

The rabbit brightened immediately. "Of course! Tails, we'll have snowanimals that look like us!" she squealed, starting to roll up a ball of snow. Sonic continued to laugh, only to be slapped by Tails.

"I can't believe you did that!" he hissed, glaring at his brother.

"I can," chuckled Sonic, trying to muffle his laughter through his hand. Cream had already made progress on her snowrabbit, and was going about it quite ecstatically. Of course, this caused extreme hilarity for Sonic, who refused to stop his chuckling as Tails flushed deeply and tried to talk Cream out of it.

"Hey, uh, does your Mom have any of that hot cocoa left?" he asked. "Maybe we should go inside… or anywhere else…"

"Sure, Tails!" she chirped. "Let's go. I bet Mom'll let you have marshmallows and whipped cream in yours!" As Cream skipped away with Tails close behind, Sonic took the hint from Tails' threatening glare and headed home. His work here was done, anyway. The fox would be blushing for days.

***

Sonic woke the next morning feeling quite smug. Rushing out of bed and quickly grabbing breakfast and a scarf, he raced out to see if Cream had finished her and Tails' snow-reincarnations. What greeted him at the door was far from what he was expecting. After tripping rather unceremoniously over a pile of snow at his doorstep, his eyes widened at the sight before him. Covering his front yard were at least fifty snowhedgies, all closely resembling he and a certain cerise female. All the reincarnations came in pairs, and Sonic would have collapsed then and there, but he was already sprawled on his doorstep.

The clear ring of two young anthros' laughter made him force himself to his feet. Whirling around and glaring at the very pleased-looking fox and rabbit, Sonic was about to yell at the two, when Tails interrupted him: "Turnabout's fair play!"


	14. Battle for the Muffin

Knuckles and Rouge stood nose-to-nose, glaring at each other with a ferocity unknown to any of their friends. It was unusual to see Knuckles so worked up over anything but the Master Emerald, and Rouge over anything but jewels. However, in this situation, the object of their anger was not an Emerald; Master, Chaos, or regular. Sonic and the rest of the group surrounded the two fighters, grinning and waiting for the action to start. Between the echidna and the bat, sitting silently and innocently on a small saucer, was the last muffin from that morning's breakfast.

The breakfast had been eaten late, so no lunch was made. Dinner was _supposed _to be at this particular moment, but Vanilla had gotten so lost in a large delivery of Christmas Cards that dinner was burnt beyond recognition. Then, since it was too late to have take-out of any sort, Knuckles had decided to eat the remaining muffin. Just as he was about to, Rouge made the claim that the muffin had been hers, and therefore she had the right to eat it. This led to a heated debate between the two, which was obviously going to lead to blows.

Right before Knuckles said something Sonic knew he would regret later, the hedgehog stepped between them with an uncharacteristic, serious tone. "Alright, now. Stop. If we're going to do this, we're going to do this right."

Rouge growled a little, angry that they were interrupted. "And how is that, True Blue?"

Suddenly, Sonic smirked. "By letting me have it." He grabbed the muffin and took off out the door, snatching a scarf off the coat rack and bolting into the cold winter outdoors. Knuckles looked confused for a minute, before yelling and racing after the hedgehog. Of course, since Sonic had a lot of time for a head start, keeping up was pretty much impossible for the echidna and the bat. Tails, however, was quite used to having to keep up with Sonic, and managed to cut him off at a path he liked to take.

"Sonic! Up here!" Tails called. Sonic grinned and flung the muffin up to Tails, who began backtracking to return to the house. The unspoken agreement was that the muffin would be shared if Tails helped hide it from the others. It seemed to work, as Knuckles continued to run after Sonic while Tails flew back to Vanilla and Cream's house. However, he forgot one important detail: Rouge could fly. He found himself staring into the crystalline eyes of the bat, who was soon eying the blueberry muffin as if it was the Master Emerald.

With a yelp, Tails ducked under her and flew onwards, now with an angry bat pursuing him. Cream saw, and quickly leapt up to grab the muffin from Tails and fly off. The slight of hand worked, as Rouge followed Tails while Cream made off with the treat. Once again, the silent deal was Cream would get part of the muffin. She saw Sonic below, who had successfully thrown off Knuckles and was returning home for his treasure. With a wave of her hand, she caught his attention, flinging the muffin to him while keeping a third for herself.

Sonic gave her a wink and took a third for him, knowing Tails would still insist on his portion. Just as the fox appeared, panting as he tried to outmaneuver Rouge in flight, Sonic was knocked into the snow by an angry echidna, who clearly knew he was just cheated out of his muffin. Sonic landed in a snow bank, fighting Knuckles back while smirking the entire time, keeping Tails' portion of the muffin just out of reach. "Sonic, here!" cried Cream.

The rabbit was thrown the remainder of the muffin, and she took off to give it to Tails. They raced towards each other at high speed, Cream with the muffin extended and Tails reaching out to grab it. Their arms missed by a small fraction, and the muffin was stuffed into Tails' mouth. Moving too fast to stop, Cream slammed right into Tails. Their lips were touching.

They made a short plummet to earth, both as shocked at the situation as their peers. Tails was blushing as he swallowed his share of the muffin, and Cream looked as if she was about to die from embarrassment. Sonic walked up to them, after finally shoving Knuckles back, smirking cheekily. "You guys didn't even wait for the mistletoe!"


	15. The Ice Arena

It was a battle to the death. Kind of. The park's pond had long frozen over, making the perfect Ice Arena for any challenge Sonic could think of. In this particular situation, it was a duel between him and Knuckles: speed versus power. The echidna's punch could easily debilitate an opponent, crushing bones and cutting flesh with a single blow. However, that damage required hitting the opposition, and with Sonic darting across the ice at insane speeds, that was extremely difficult.

Knuckles had a serious factor playing against him: he was very unused to fighting on ice. He continually found himself flat on his stomach, spread eagle on the floor, with Sonic smirking from a distance. Still, Sonic was having trouble coming to a halt and staying within the boundaries of the "arena." Already, he had nearly skid right off the pond and into the snow banks around it. Luckily, he tripped before he could and stopped before flying off the pond. Needless to say, it was one of their more amusing fights.

A quick blow was aimed at Sonic's head, and he skillfully ducked below and shot his foot forward. This unbalanced Knuckles, who landed on his tail rather unceremoniously. Sonic snickered and skid backwards, away from the angered echidna. This time, Sonic simply dodged the blow by jumping sideways, and Knuckles' own momentum sent him sprawling.

"Get 'im, Sonic!" yelled Tails, eager.

"Yeah, Blue Boy! You show that echidna who's boss!" added Rouge, smirking.

"Hey! What are you doing, cheering for that blue idiot?" The echidna whom the jab was aimed at stood and glared at the audience. Most everyone was there, except for Shadow. The black and crimson hedgehog had gone to Angel Island to return a Chaos Emerald, and would be back later, most likely after the match was finished.

"I can hear you, Red," chortled Sonic.

"And I can cheer for whomever I please," stated the bat, leering.

"That's _it!_" shouted Knuckles. "I'm ending this. _Now_."

More determined than ever, Knuckles shot towards Sonic, who smirked and bolted in the direction of the Guardian. Just as they were about to meet, a blinding flash of light interrupted them. The ending yell of "Control" echoed about, and it made the conclusion as to who was arriving easy: Shadow. In a clash of tangled limbs and fading light, the destruction was done. Sonic and Shadow were completely entangled, making it almost impossible to distinguish one from the other. Underneath the tangled hedgehogs was a rather miffed echidna, who glared upwards as he tried to push them off.

With a grunt, he sent the two skidding across the pond, where Shadow landed, very confused, on top of Sonic. The blue hedgehog grinned. "Why, Shadow, if I'd known you felt that way about me--"

Shadow glared, jerked himself up as well as Sonic, and brushed the snow and ice shavings off his fur. If there was one thing that was _not _going to happen, it was allowing Sonic to finish his statement. "Ahem… uh… move along."


	16. Silver's Plot, pt 1

If there was one thing that was bound to catch up to Sonic's group eventually, it was the inevitable boring Christmas party. Rather unwillingly, all had been invited to Big's "party." Shadow had tried to back out, but the fish hook in his ear made it clear that the cat's invitation was _not _to be turned down. So, reluctantly, Sonic and company made their way to Big's hut in Mystic Ruins.

Tikal was the only one who seemed to be enjoying herself, and this was mainly due to a lack of socialization over the last hundred years. Otherwise, Knuckles was sure, she would not be eager to spend an evening with Big. Everyone wrapped themselves up in jackets and coats, as there was a lack of heating in the hut. The cat waddled around with his pet frog on his shoulder, handing out candies that looked more like things Big had fished out of the creek than edible foods. Forced smiles were the only thing any of them could manage, as they continued to glance at Shade's watch for a reasonable time to leave.

It was about an hour into the gathering that Sonic realized one person was missing: Silver. The white hedgehog had promised to come, but had apparently failed to show. Sonic elbowed Shadow, who immediately turned on the cobalt hedgehog, his temper flaring. "Hey!" hissed Sonic, trying to calm him down. "I just wondered if you'd seen Silver."

"No," mumbled Shadow. "Why ask?"

"He's not here. Where is he?"

"Far away, probably. Smart kid."

Sonic snorted and walked over to Big, preparing to make an excuse to leave, when he found himself immobile. He glanced around to see everyone else held captive; all except for Big, who looked very confused. Suddenly, they were pulled out of the hut one by one, with Big following closely. When Sonic was finally outside, he looked up to see a smirking white hedgehog, hovering out of reach as well as pulling his friends away from the "torture." The cat immediately protested. "H-hey! Dur… what'reya doin'?!"

A bright grin was flashed at Big. "Kidnapping my friends back. Sorry, Big!"

The cat watched as the group was towed away by Silver, shrugged, and returned to his hut. When they were back at Tails' house above the Ruins, Silver placed everyone back on the ground. Laughter rang through the air as everyone plopped into the snow, thrilled with their escape from Big's hut. Shadow stood to leave, amused but ready to go home, when he was stopped by Silver. If the ebony hedgehog had not been held immobile, Silver was sure he would be dead where he stood.

"What?!" barked Shadow.

"I kidnapped you. You're mine until I say otherwise."

"_What?!_"

"Yup. Now, you go over here," stated Silver, moving Shadow over to the other side of Tails' yard. "Sonic, you, Knuckles and Tails go with him. Blaze, take Amy, Rouge, Shade and Tikal and go over there. We're going to have a snowball rematch!"


	17. Silver's Plot, pt 2

"Loser makes hot chocolate for everyone!" shouted Silver, beginning the snowball rematch. Even with the light dimming by the minute, Silver and crew were having an absolutely insane time in the snow. An annoying rule had been insisted upon by Tikal: no powers allowed. This meant Sonic was forbidden to use his spin dash, Silver would have to resist telekinetic abilities, Shadow could not use Chaos Control, and the same for the girls' abilities. It was a straight-up, basic snowball fight. At least, if there was such a thing with Sonic involved.

The limitations did not effect the competitiveness of the teams, and in fact, seemed to make it worse. Amy was sure that if Sonic's team could not use powers, then her team would win, just as Sonic believed his team would prevail. Cream was called in to referee again, although she was obviously not near as amused by this match as the other. After almost thirty straight minutes of watching small, measly snowballs fly by her face, she gave up and glanced over her shoulder. With no obvious provocation, she began forming a snowanimal.

This went completely unnoticed by the competitors, who were cheerfully picking up balls of snow and chucking them at the opposing team. Sonic threw some of the snowballs at Tails, who would hit them over with his twin namesakes. While Blaze tried to call this cheating and grab Cream's attention, Tikal shrugged it off and simply stated they could use Rouge's wings in the same manner to make it fair.

Now, with the snowballs flying faster, it was thought that their referee rabbit would pay a bit more attention to the goings-on. Yet when Sonic glanced over in her direction, he saw her lost in the details of her snowanimal. He shrugged, then ducked behind Silver to spindash their supply of snowballs across the barrier. Each snowball hit its mark, since none of the opposing team expected the assault.

Blaze melted the snow away in seconds, glaring at Sonic and Silver. "Cheaters!" she cried, her countenance angry but her eyes glinting with amusement. "You cheated! We win by default!"

A simple chorus of laughter served as her reply. "Let's ask the referee, mmkay?" suggested Silver. Knowing the rabbit had not been paying attention, he was confident that she would not be able to accuse their team of cheating. All ten walked over to Cream, who was still finishing her snowanimal, now beginning to look like a fox. Tails blushed, but said nothing, and Sonic resisted pointing it out. "Hey, Cream, did we cheat?"

Cream glanced over her shoulder and smiled. "I don't know, Mr. Silver," she stated. "Maybe you should ask him." She pointed to her creation.

"I don't think he'll know anything," stated Sonic.

"You'd be surprised," chortled Cream. She brushed a little snow off the eye, and Tails soon recognized it.

"Cream! That's my camera! It fell off the Tornado just last week!"

The rabbit flashed a bright grin. "Yes! And I've been watching _all _of you. Sonic cheated, but so did Shade."

Everyone on Amy's team glanced over at the Nocturnus echidna, who was blushing. "Okay… so maybe I teleported a _couple _snowballs out of the way…"

"More like any that flew towards you. You both cheated, so I win. Inside, please! I'd like my hot chocolate with marshmallows, if you don't mind," stated Cream, smiling innocently.

Silver rolled his eyes, but followed the rabbit into Tails' house along with the others. Blaze leaned over to him and whispered in his ear: "Well, that backfired."


	18. Make it Clear, pt 1

It was the largest Christmas party in the country, held at the Emerald Coast Hotel in Station Square. Formal dress was required for all attendants, be they male or female, Mobians or human, young or old. All were invited, but generally only the famous and wealthy could afford an outfit nice enough to attend. Of course, the staff at the hotel insisted Sonic come, and like every year before, he prepared to decline. This time, however, something, or more specifically, someone, stopped him. Amy, who had recently received a beautiful, floor-length red and white dress, was dying to go. Her problem was that she did not want to go alone. Normally, she would ask Sonic in a heartbeat, but his recent letter and revelation gave her pause. What would he say? Should she let him ask her? Would he? Should she just go alone?

Cream was Amy's living diary, and knew absolutely everything Amy was going through. With the rabbit so close to Tails and the fox so close to Sonic, a chain of third-party information told Sonic Amy wished to go to the Emerald Coast Hotel party, but would not go alone. Nervously, Sonic sent information back that he would meet her there. With a squeal of delight when Cream told her, Amy quickly set about getting ready for the unofficial date. She tried to tell herself not to get her hopes up, but her heart kept whispering promises of something different; telling her _something _was going to happen tonight that would change her life. With trembling hands, she donned the crimson and ivory dress, letting Cream tie the ribbon around her waist.

The little rabbit smiled. "Here, Amy. Wear this," she murmured, handing the cerise hedgehog a small trinket. Amy gazed at the fresh cut piece of holly. The berries were bright and crimson, and the leaves were a fresh, crisp green. It had a small hook on it to make it simple to attach it to her red hair band. Amy grinned as she placed it against her ear, loving the small touch it added to the overall outfit.

"Thanks, Cream," she replied, smiling. Her outer appearance was full of confidence and ecstasy, but her stomach was filled with butterflies flip-flopping about. This was just a party, nothing more. Yet for some reason, a tinge of hope refused to leave her, and it made her all the more nervous.


	19. Make it Clear, pt 2

In his and Tails' shared house in Mystic Ruins, Sonic was having a similar problem to Amy. "I hate tuxes, I hate tuxes, I hate tuxes…" he muttered, fidgeting with the cuffs and growling to himself. The stiff fabric that brushed up against his fur drove him insane, and he knew the cloth would severely impact his ability to run. It contracted his movements and forced him to walk stiffly and slowly. Fidgeting, he decided, was only making it worse. With a reluctant, surrendering sigh, he stopped and began the journey to Emerald Coast Hotel. It seemed far longer than it truly was, mainly because his thoughts haunted him the entire way.

His greatest fear was Amy would, for some reason, not come, and leave him stuck there alone with a million different fans asking for this, that and the other. For whatever reason, class and wealth did _not _mean they had respect for someone's privacy. No matter what age or social standing, people were constantly pestering him with probing questions and odd requests. With Amy, at least, he could deter most of them by looking busy. Then again, would it be worth it? After all, what would his conversations with her be about? Certainly they could not be any worse than the ones the fans tended to come up with. At least, he hoped not.

Hoping to delay his worries for a little while, he stopped when he saw Tails fiddling with the Tornado II. The fox popped out of the cockpit and smiled. "Hey, Sonic! Shouldn't you be going?"

The hedgehog shrugged, looking down at his feet. "Technically."

"Sonic," sighed Tails. "You can't back out on her, now. That's heartless."

"I know, I know!" replied Sonic shortly. "I just don't know what to say! She got that letter, then I told her about Knux's bet, and now everything's a mess."

"I could tell. You've been avoiding her the past few days," agreed Tails. "But you have to go. You promised, and breaking that would be worse that whatever happens once you're there."

"True," muttered Sonic.

"I know it's true. So, go on, before you're late! Amy'll kill you if you are." Sonic nodded and began to leave, but Tails called after him: "Hey! Don't worry, alright? Everything's gonna be fine."

Sonic managed a smile, but for some reason, did not feel the confidence he conveyed. Something told him this night would change his life, but that was not what worried him. What worried him was the fact that he could not tell if the change was for better or for worse.


	20. Make it Clear, pt 3

Amy sat at a table with a white tablecloth and two small candles on a holly centerpiece, nervously awaiting Sonic's arrival. She tried to control her quick breathing, forcing herself to take deeper, longer breaths as she watched the crowd warily. If Sonic stood her up, she would kill him. Yet, it was only five minutes after the scheduled arrival time, so there was no way she could be angry already. Time dragged on, until it was almost twenty minutes into the gathering and the steady rush of incoming people had slowed. Fear gripped Amy's soul as her worst-case scenario began to come true. Then, a flash of cobalt among the throng signaled she was wrong in her assumption.

She forced herself to stay in her seat and wait for Sonic to come to her. When he did, she noted how awkward their silence was. _Maybe this wasn't such a good idea… Maybe I should just go home. _Mind and thoughts churning, Amy smiled softly and signaled to the chair across from her. Sonic sat and grinned nervously, trying to start up a conversation but completely unsure of what to say. It was Amy who ended up initiating it. "So… I see Tails finally talked you into coming."

A short nod was her reply. "Y-yeah," he murmured, looking uncomfortably at the floor.

"I was kinda worried you wouldn't show. Y'know, since, um… you hate these kinds of things so much."

"It's fine, Amy. Really."

The female sighed, unsure of how to continue. "Uh, how've you been, then?"

Sonic shrugged. "Alright, I guess. I'm ready for the holidays to get here and be done, though. All this traffic is seriously messing with my running routine."

"Yeah, I'm sure it is," she agreed. There was a pause, then she spoke again, more serious. "Sonic, ever since you wrote that letter, our friendship has been really awkward. I just… I'm here, okay? Whenever you want to straighten things out, I'm ready. I just can't take it much longer."

She started to rise and leave, but Sonic was quicker. He stopped her, holding her hand and gazing at her nervously. Amy gave him a confused look. "Ames, wait, I… I'll make it clear now, okay? I… I don't know why everything's been so awkward. It's probably my fault. At least, it tends to be. But… but the truth is… I love you." The scream of delight was kept inside, just barely, and released only as a shocked stare. "I just don't know what to do after that," muttered Sonic, his nervous tic returning in the form of an ear twitch.

Amy grinned and embraced Sonic tightly, despite the odd looks from others. "It's alright," she whispered, her muzzle brushing against his ear. "We'll just figure it out as we go."


	21. The Race of the Season

"Whatever happens to them, I'm blaming it on you," growled Amy, watching the retreating figures of Shadow and Sonic, who were racing to see who could get to Station Square and finish the last-minute Christmas shopping the fastest. It had been Rouge's idea, and Sonic's competitive nature persuaded him to drag Shadow along and make a race out of it. Amy had tried to protest, thinking of the many innocent bystanders who could be trampled, and the safety of the hedgehogs themselves. But once the challenge was made, neither of them would turn it down.

The bat smirked, glancing at the cloud of snow the two had kicked up in their haste to get started. "I'll take the blame, girl. Who knows? If they shop too fast, we might get some nice things because they were going too fast to see what they were getting."

"Or they'll kill each other," she muttered.

Rouge shrugged. "That too."

The two hedgehogs raced side-by-side and neck-and-neck, each straining to reach Station Square before their rival. Sonic glanced over at Shadow and smirked. His taunt was quickly returned, albeit more of a sinister sneer than a smug grin. They both quickened their pace and shot forward, and they simultaneously outran the speed of sound. The echoes of the resulting sound wave reached the city not too long after Sonic and Shadow.

Of course, their arrival at Station Square required them to slow their running speeds considerably. Sonic took off in a westerly direction, while Shadow headed east. A cobalt blur was all that was seen as Sonic darted into various stores, grabbed what he thought was within his price range and would be well-accepted, then dashed to the front. The wait in the excessively long lines was the only thing that slowed him down.

Shadow, however, made quicker progress due to careful choice of which stores to enter. He chose the least crowded, but the ones that would still carry items on the others' wish lists. Lines hardly slowed him down at all, since most were miniscule, or even nonexistent. However, this had its downsides, as the merchandise he managed to acquire grew considerably in weight relatively quickly. With a reduced running speed, he set back towards home.

As he passed one of the more crowded stores, he made eye contact with Sonic, who was trying to bribe another shopper into letting him cut ahead in the line. He had just as many items as Shadow, but was held back by a line of at least twenty-five. Emerald eyes met ruby, and the unofficial victory was clear to Shadow. He caught Sonic's irritated snarl, but moved onward as if he had not seen it. He took off as fast as he could to Sonic and Tails' house, the start and end point of their race.

He was almost out of Station Square when an unfortunate pedestrian crossed directly in front of him at the precise moment he had begun to pick up speed. With no hope of avoiding a collision, Shadow smacked into the human, and both tumbled for at least fifty feet, thanks to the ebony hedgehog's momentum. As they untangled themselves and Shadow mumbled slurred apologies, a cobalt blur raced by in the same direction Shadow had been going. Snatching up his treasures and desperately trying to keep up, Shadow attempted to reach the house before Sonic. However, as it was Sonic's house and he knew every possible shortcut, a loss was inevitable.

Sonic was waiting out front with the parcels at his feet, leaning against the doorway and smirking. "I win."


	22. Shared Loyalty

"I hate snow. I hate snow. I hate snow," muttered Knuckles, brushing the inches of piled white flakes off the Master Emerald. He was only sworn to guard it, but he took on the care of the sacred gem as well, which included cleaning it and defending it from the unique elements and seasons of Angel Island. Due to the flying island's great altitude, it had some of the most extreme weather of any place on Mobius. In the winter, inches and inches of snow and ice piled on the island, slowing its travel speed considerably and weighing it down. In the spring, the runoff from the snow poured in great waterfalls off of Angel Island and often flooded the towns below. Summer on the floating shrine was hot, humid and tropical, and a great many fruits could grow there during this time. Fall was rainy and wet, and would flood cities just like in the spring.

Still, winter was probably his least favorite season to be there. The extreme cold was very uncomfortable and made caring for the Master Emerald more of a chore than a privilege. Knuckles oftentimes had to bribe Tails to fly him up there during any particularly harsh snowstorm. This season was a little different, though, in that Shade was there. It was her first year back from the Twilight Cage, and she was reveling in the freedom. She shared the same sense of loyalty to the Master Emerald that Knuckles and Tikal did. Also, she had the ability to teleport, and would willingly take Knuckles to Angel Island to check on the Emerald instead of Tails. It made a difficult winter much easier.

The female echidna watched as Knuckles dutifully brushed all the snow off of the Master Emerald and its shrine. She said nothing and did not comment on anything the Guardian did. Instead, she simply observed and absorbed all the information on the shrine that she could. Knuckles sighed and laid his hand on the Master Emerald, smiling at the soft glow it emitted, now unhindered by snow. "Well? How's it look?" he inquired, breaking the silence.

Shade jumped a bit at sudden question, but quickly recovered. "It's immaculate. How do you keep this up all year round?"

All the Guardian did was shrug. "I've been doing it as long as I can remember. It's more of a problem if I don't do it than if I do."

"How so?" asked Shade.

"Well, it marks the end of the day. When the Master Emerald is safe and sound, I know my work is done, and I'm free to eat and sleep, et cetera."

Shade nodded. "Yes, but doesn't it get… boring?"

"It did, after a while, but ever since Sonic landed here a few years back, it hasn't been boring at all. After that, Chaos broke it, then Rouge found it, and that's only made things more interesting. Trust me, I'm rarely bored."

"I suppose that's true," chortled the female. "Your loyalty is impressive, Knuckles. I doubt I'd be able to keep such a schedule for a gem."

"You'd be surprised," replied Knuckles. "After all, the Master Emerald is more than just a gem. It tends to summon you if it needs something."

"How do you know it's the Master Emerald calling you, and not your imagination?" inquired Shade.

Knuckles shrugged. "You just do."

"Has it ever called anyone but the Guardian?"

"Tikal can sense it, but that may be because her soul is tied to it. Other than that, I don't know."

Shade pondered this for a minute, then smiled softly. "That would make sense," she murmured. "Has it ever called you to do something other than protect it?" Her lavender eyes glanced up at Knuckles, sparkling with mischief and something akin to hope.

"Well…" Knuckles glanced at the Mater Emerald, then at Shade, and smiled. Stepping closer to the female echidna and pulling her close, he gently kissed her. Her wish fulfilled, Shade returned the kiss with love and joy. They parted a little while afterwards, Knuckles' amethyst eyes lit with the same mischievous glint as Shade's. "It has now."


	23. The First Attack

"Christmas is so close!" squealed Tikal, clapping with joy as she helped the other girls prepare Christmas cookies. Cream nodded ecstatically, grinning and jumping alongside the ancient echidna girl.

"I know! Only two days away!" she chirped, coffee-brown eyes shining. "I got the perfect gift for Tails! I'm sure he'll love it."

"What'd you get him, Cream?" asked Amy, pulling a pan of cookies out of the oven while Blaze put more in.

"A brand new screwdriver. The one Sonic gave him last year broke, so I got him a new one. It's yellow, just like his fur!"

Blaze snickered a little, but Tikal simply brightened at the idea of gift-giving. "That's sweet, Cream," she stated. "I didn't have any money, so I had trouble getting gifts. I think you'll all like yours, though."

"I'm sure we will," assured Amy. "I really hope Sonic likes what I got him this year. I think he will, since I just went with a new pair of running shoes. He seems to go through those as fast as he runs."

"Yeah," commented Rouge, entering the kitchen. "It won't be hard to beat your last gift, girl. That hammer blow to the skull probably wasn't a smart choice, y'know."

If looks could kill, the glare Amy gave Rouge would have definitely proven fatal to the bat. "He deserved that one."

Cream nodded. "Yeah. I don't really like it when you use your hammer, but I think you were right that time."

"Yes," snorted Amy. "After all, catching fire to my house wasn't exactly what _I _wanted, either."

Laughter rang through the kitchen as good cheer overcame the pointless argument, returning joy to the girls as they continued to move cookies around the kitchen. Cream and Tikal were in charge of icing the gingerbread men, Blaze cooked them at hyper-speed with her flames, and Amy cautiously removed them from the super-heated oven. Rouge was the one mixing the batter beforehand and placing it on trays. All in all, their cycle was working, until a knock at the door interrupted them.

"Cream, can you get that?" asked Amy, ducking a blast of uncontrolled flames from Blaze. The rabbit nodded and skipped off to the door, opening it without asking who it was or glancing out the window. When a shrill scream echoed into the kitchen, all cookies were abandoned as the girls raced into the foyer to see what the matter was. At the door stood a stocky android, its chest bearing the familiar logo of a certain mustachioed villain. Amy could not help but roll her eyes at the slapped-on paint job: a black mask around its eyes with dark gray everywhere else.

"What do you want, you hunk of junk?" she barked, unamused that they were interrupted by an obviously mediocre android.

The robot blinked once before speaking: "I am a robber. I have come to steal all your money and your possessions."

Amy snorted with distaste, but Tikal and Cream looked genuinely worried. Rouge leaned over and whispered in Blaze's ear: "I really thought he'd kick it up a notch for the holidays… but this is an all-new low." The cat nodded, eyeing the robot with mild amusement.

"Yeah," muttered Amy sarcastically. "Sure. Y'know what? I don't have any money on me right now. Hold on a minute."

She motioned for the robot to stay, ran into the kitchen, and returned with a warm gingerbread cookie. "Here. It's Christmas, why not take a cookie instead?" The robot took the gingerbread man and looked at it, its gears whizzing as it tried to decipher what on Mobius it had been given. "Hey, you came to take something, right?"

"Correct," stated the android, happy to be back on the familiar territory of its objectives.

"Then you've completed your orders," Rouge finished. "Take the cookie and get lost."

The girls watched as the robot scurried away, laughing at the easy defeat. If only they knew what was going to happen to the boys at Sonic and Tails' house.


	24. The Second Attack

While the girls had been in charge of cooking, it had been the boys' job to prepare the house for everyone. Amy had left clear instructions as to how things were to be done, complete with threats should the list not be completed to her satisfaction. She had nothing to fear, as Tails was just as picky about the state of the house and workshop as she was. The kitsune darted about the house, snapping orders at the others and glancing back at his list occasionally to ensure he was doing things correctly.

"Silver! Move that couch a few feet to the left, and put some folding chairs in between that and the love seat. Specifically, three chairs. Knuckles, get the dining room in order. And _Sonic_, for the love of Chaos, _you don't dust by running in circles!_"

The hedgehog came to a screeching halt in the middle of the living room, grinning cheekily as dust motes floated to the ground. "It's off the shelves, isn't it?"

"Get the vacuum," sighed Tails. "Shadow, could you move all the gifts out of my workshop and wrap them?"

Needless to say, Shadow was not pleased with taking orders. "I do not wrap gifts."

"You do now," barked the kitsune. "Now _mush!_"

As the ebony and crimson hedgehog stalked off reluctantly, Tails went into the guest bedroom to clean up from the raucous game of "keep-the-cookie-away-from-Silver" Shadow had decided to play the night before. The fox could not help but smile at the memory, as he had been the one to sneak up behind Shadow and snatch Silver's made-to-order cookie from Blaze back for him. Of course, Sonic had then joined in, and with three hedgehogs all pummeling each other for a single cookie, Tails and Knuckles had wisely backed out of the battle. The room had no such option.

He began to straighten the crooked lampshades when he heard the doorbell ring. Four voices simultaneously rang out: "You get it, Tails!" The fox sighed, but seeing as he had left the harder jobs to the others, relented. As he passed the clock, he noticed it was relatively late at night, on Christmas Eve, no less. What on Mobius was someone doing here at this late hour? Shrugging off the oddity but curious nonetheless, Tails opened the door. Mystic Ruins remained dark all throughout the year, but Tails' excessive light job made the area around his house very bright. Which was exactly why Tails was shocked to find no one there.

"I am a savage Norseman!"

The kitsune jumped and glanced around the corner, where a short robot jumped out in an attempt to scare him. It was far from menacing, as its size barely allowed it to look Tails in the eye. Since the fox was shorter than three feet, this was a pretty depressing height. Tails laid his ears back as he looked the robot up and down. Its head was domed and had two horns sticking out of either side, just like a Viking's helmet. The familiar logo of Eggman was painted on the helmet, while it also bore a large metal moustache. "Uh," stuttered Tails. "Who're you?"

"I am a _Viking!_" screamed the android, drawing the attention of the others in the house. "I have come to burn your house down and steal your possessions!"

Tails blinked in surprise, still in shock at the odd visit. Sonic could only smirk at the mediocre "attack" on them. "Egghead's really getting desperate if he's sending 'Vikings' now. Guess he was pressed for time, with the holidays an' all. Had to send this guy. Hey, Silv!"

"Yeah?" shouted the white hedgehog, who was still trying to arrange the folding chairs in the desired position.

"Where're those gingerbread houses Blaze gave ya?"

"In the kitchen. Why?"

"No reason. I just need one."

"Only one!" barked Silver.

Sonic walked into the kitchen and snatched up one of the edible houses, before returning to the robot at the door. "You wanna burn our house down and steal our stuff?"

"Yes," affirmed the Viking-robot.

"Alright. Take this," he chuckled, handing the house to the robot.

"Why?"

"Did you just take that from me?" inquired Sonic.

"Yes."

"You stole my stuff. Now, burn it."

Confused, but obedient, the robot did so.

"Now you've burned my house down. Shoo."

The Viking-robot still seemed as if he would steal real items and burn the actual house, but Knuckles lost patience and stormed the door, scaring it off. Shadow smirked. "That's a new one." The rest of them agreed, then returned to their chore list. Sadly, none of them realized what was in store for them for Christmas.


	25. The Worst Enemy of All

Christmas morning could not have been more pleasurable. The girls had traveled from Amy's house in Station Square to Sonic and Tails' place in Mystic Ruins, towing gifts and cookies of all shapes and sizes. Tails had made the others make sure everything was perfect for Amy's inspection, and was pleased when Amy found everything just as she had imagined, if not better. Knuckles' ability to cook with foreign foods was put to the test, and the unique breakfast of tropical fruits saved in Tails' specialized refrigerator was certainly delicious. The echidna had picked all the fruits late in the summer, and Tails had a new invention to preserve perishable foods for years before going bad, and chose to test it with Knuckles' harvest. Of course, the stash was only infiltrated because Tails discovered the hedgehogs had raided the breakfast foods the night before.

Just when they finished their meal, Cream insisted they exchange gifts. The girls and boys had all exchanged among themselves the night before, but it was the couples' turn to give. All agreed, and they decided it would be best to take turns and watch as each gift was opened, one by one. Since the rabbit had volunteered, Cream and Tails went first. The fox was absolutely thrilled with his new screwdriver, and Cream was nothing less than delighted over the dress Tails had gotten her.

Next were Shadow and Rouge, who reluctantly swapped gifts while avoiding eye contact with each other. Shadow cautiously opened the gift, wondering what on Mobius Rouge could have gotten him. He was pleasantly surprised to find a rocket-repair-kit for his shoes. While he tried to thank Rouge, he could not be heard over the screams of joy coming from the bat. She danced in front of the other girls excitedly, clutching a large sapphire necklace to her chest and squealing with delight.

"Alright," chuckled Sonic. "Knux? Who're you giving to?" The echidna grinned and pulled out two boxes. "Oh, c'mon, man, don't tell me you're a two-timer!"

Knuckles shot a dark glare at the cobalt hero. "Hardly. I simply was unable to give Tikal her gift last night. The other is Shade's." Blushing a little, he handed one box to Shade, while giving a smaller one to Tikal. Shade opened hers first, and was shocked to find it contained an old weapon from Nocturne.

"H-how?"

"I found it on Angel Island. It must have been left there. I figured… you would like it."

"Like it? I love it! Knuckles, this is a _leech _blade! The nicest model, too!" The female echidna wrapped her arms around the Guardian's neck, causing his cream cheek fur to turn almost as crimson as the rest of him. "Here's yours." Knuckles opened the gift to find a Rubik's Cube.

"What?"

"For when you have to watch the Master Emerald alone," Shade explained. Knuckles smiled.

"Thanks."

"Your turn, Tikal," Sonic murmured.

Wondering what she could have possibly received from Knuckles, she opened the tiny box to see a small golden locket. When the heart clicked opened, she nearly broke down into tears. Inside was a picture of the entire group, taken right after Tikal had been released from the Master Emerald. "Kn-Knuckles… it's gorgeous!" she whispered. Knuckles blushed again, while Shade sat beside her and expressed her joy for her friend.

Silver and Blaze decided to go next. Blaze handed her gift to Silver, blushing a little as she did. Curious, Silver opened to gift to find a bracelet much like Shadow's. "It'll let you keep energy in it, in case you ever need more power for your telekinesis," she explained. The white hedgehog grinned and handed his gift to Blaze. When opened, Blaze found an intricate ruby necklace, which, when placed under the right light source, looked like flames.

Finally, it was Sonic and Amy's turn to exchange. It was the exchange everyone else had been looking forward to. Amy gave her gift to Sonic first, which was well received by the cobalt hedgehog and somewhat boring to those expecting a hammer-blow to the head. Sonic blushed a little as he handed Amy her gift, which was a tiny box that looked too small for most pieces of jewelry. Confused and with her curiosity piqued, Amy opened the box to find a small piece of paper in it. She read the note out loud: "Your gift is right above you."

The female glanced up to see Tails flying, holding a piece of mistletoe above her and Sonic, grinning. Amy gasped and looked back at Sonic, who was watching her nervously. "R-really?" she whispered.

"Really." Both ignoring the others, Sonic pulled Amy close and kissed her softly on the lips, which received soft "aws" from their audience, which quickly turned to quiet applause when the kiss grew more passionate. They parted, smiling at each other, while Tails landed back on the ground.

"Alright, all of you!" called Silver. "There's a lot of cooking to do for lunch, let's go!" Everyone crowded into the kitchen, when the doorbell rang. All curious as to who would be interrupting them, all eleven of them answered the door, Sonic at the front. A large robot stood at the door, a blank expression on its face and a suit carefully painted on its frame, Eggman's logo on its fake nametag.

"Who're you?"

"I am from the Internal Revenue Service," stated the robot blandly.

"The what?"

"The IRS, Sonic," hissed Tails.

"Oh…" muttered the hedgehog. "Whaddya want?"

"I have come to tax your--" Sonic slammed the door shut, showing an expression of mock fear as he turned around to face the others.

"That was the _worst _Eggman robot I have ever faced in my life," he said firmly. "Downright evil."

The others nodded with false severity, replying in unison: "Agreed."

* * *

Well, that's the end of it! Merry Christmas, all, and I hope you enjoyed the Advent Calendar!

~Wolf~


End file.
